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Prospect Betts sees on-base streak come to end

MLBPipeline.com's Bernie Pleskoff analyzes Red Sox prospect Mookie Betts' athleticism on the field, at the plate and on the bases

By Tim Healey
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Special to MLB.com |

Second baseman Mookie Betts, Boston's No. 5 prospect, drove in two runs on Saturday as Double-A Portland beat the Trenton Thunder, 4-3. He snared a line drive in the ninth inning and started a game-ending double play.

But for the first time in a while, Betts did not get on base. The infield prospect's on-base streak ended on Saturday afternoon at 66 games.

Betts' average this season fell to .383 as he went 0-for-4 while driving in two runs on a pair of RBI groundouts.

Including last season's Carolina League playoffs, Betts' streak actually reached 71 games, which matched a streak Kevin Youkilis put together in 2003 and one Kevin Millar ran from 1997-99, with some time in the Majors in between.

Betts is ranked No. 53 on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list. He is batting .383/.452/.591 with six home runs, 26 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 37 games this season. The 21-year-old has recorded more walks (21) than strikeouts (13).

Betts enjoyed a breakout season in 2013, hitting .314/.417/.506 with 15 homers, 65 RBIs and 38 stolen bases in 127 games split between Class A Greenville and Class A Advanced Salem.

-- Adam Berry

Tim Healey is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.